Resources Use Efficiency In Agriculture

Achieving zero hunger and food security is a top priority in the United Nations Development Goals (UNDGs). In an era characterized by high population growth and increasing pressure on agricultural systems, efficiency in the use of natural resources has become central to sustainable agricultural practices. Fundamentally speaking, eco-efficiency is about maximizing agricultural outputs, in terms of quantity and quality, using less land, water, nutrients, energy, labor, or capital. The concept of eco-efficiency involves both the ecological and economic aspects of sustainable agriculture. It is therefore essential to understand the interaction of ecosystem constituents within the extensive agricultural landscape, as well as farmers’ economic needs. This book examines the latest eco-efficient practices used in agro-systems. Drawing upon research and examples from around the world, it offers an up-to-date overview, together with insights into directly applicable approaches for poly-cropping systems and landscape-scale management to improve the stability of agricultural production systems, helping achieve food security. The book will be of interest to educators, researchers, climate change scientists, capacity builders and policymakers alike. It can also be used as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate courses on agriculture, forestry, soil science, and the environmental sciences.

Ending hunger, achieving food security and promoting sustainable development are at the top of the list of United Nations (UN) sustainable global development priorities. In the times of high population growth and increasing pressure of agricultural systems, efficiency in use of natural resources has been at the epicenter of sustainable agricultural. The concept of ‘Input efficiency’ implies production of high quantity and quality of food, from using only finite natural resources as inputs, in the form of mainly land, water, nutrients, energy, or biological diversity. In this book, editors provide a roadmap to the food, nutritional, and environmental security in the agricultural systems. They share insight into the approaches that can be put in practice for increasing the input use efficiency in the cropping systems and achieve stability and sustainability of agricultural production systems. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, climate change scientists, capacity builders and policymakers. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, agroforestry, agroecology, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists, policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

Agriculture Is The Largest Sector In Indian Economy. Indian Economy Have To Depend Upon The Development Of Agriculture For Their Economic Development In Order To Meet The Demand For Foodgrains And Raw Materials Of Agro-Base Industries. The Development Of Agricultural Sector Has Direct Impact On The Level Of Farm Income. Therefore, It Is Necessary To Increase Agricultural Production. Agricultural Production Can Be Increased With The Help Of Optimum Use Of Resources. This Book Makes An Indepth Study Of Resource-Use Efficiency In Agricultural Sector. The Study Attempt To Examine How Efficiently The Farmers Are Using Their Resources. The Important Problem Of Increasing Agricultural Production In Any Region Is How To Increase Output Per Unit Of Input. In View Of This, It Is Necessary That The Available Resources Should Be Used Economically And Efficiently. This Book Studied The Allocation Of Resources Among The Crops In The Command Area. The Book Will Certainly Prove Beneficial To The Government, Farmers, Teachers, Students And Researchers.

The book offers a rich toolkit of relevant, adoptable ecosystem-based practices that can help the world's 500 million smallholder farm families achieve higher productivity, profitability and resource-use efficiency while enhancing natural capital.

This policy guide is drawn from the results of the FAO Project “Strengthening Agricultural Water Efficiency and Productivity at the African and Global Level” funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and cooperation (SDC). The long term vision of the project was that the in-country findings and processes which are of common nature can be synthesized and scaled up to other countries in a regional cooperation process and globally. This will eventually lead to the increase of investment in Agricultural Water Management (AWM) in the targeted countries – and beyond – that is socially equitable, profitable at the farm level, economically viable, environmentally neutral or positive, and sustainable. The Guide focuses on the specific component of Enhancing Water Use Efficiency at small scale irrigation as one of the major outputs of the project. While creating and implementing Water Use Efficiency (WUE) measures at field level, existing policy frameworks were mapped and analyzed, and recommendations were defined as scalable policy instruments with the aim to demonstrate case-specific experiences to the collectively agreed goal of using water resources efficiently.

These guidelines are intended to assist countries in understanding the agronomic parameters involved in the computation of the agricultural component of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 6.4.1 on the change in water use efficiency over time. They provide a detailed explanation of the calculation process for calculation by countries willing to generate a more accurate estimation using their national data. The guidelines provide the minimum standard method using an estimated or default value proposed by FAO, as well as the available methodologies to progressively improve the accuracy through a monitoring ladder for countries that have more comprehensive and accurate data on their main crops areas and productions.

Changing Climate and Resource Use Efficiency in Plants reviews the efficiencies for resource use by crop plants under different climatic conditions. This book focuses on the challenges and potential remediation methods for a variety of resource factors. Chapters deal with the effects of different climatic conditions on agriculture, radiation use efficiency under various climatic conditions, the efficiency of water and its impact on harvest production under restricted soil moisture conditions, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency in different environmental conditions under the influence of climate change, and various aspects of improving phosphorus use efficiency. The book provides guidance for researchers engaged in plant science studies, particularly Plant/Crop Physiology, Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Molecular Breeding. In addition, it provides valuable insights for policymakers, administrators, plant-based companies and agribusiness companies. Explores climatic effects on agriculture through radiation, water, nitrogen, and phosphorus-use efficiency Guides the planning and research of, and recommendations for, fertilizer application for different crops under various climatic conditions Discusses efficiency improvements for plant and molecular breeders seeking to maximize resource use